


Loyalty

by haisai_andagii



Category: Transformers: Prime, Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-10-29 22:10:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10863090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haisai_andagii/pseuds/haisai_andagii
Summary: After Breakdown's death, Knock Out only wants for their sparkling -Wildbreak- to be safe.  However, Megatron has a different approach.





	1. Chapter 1

He was so very small.  Knock Out adjusted the cooing burden in his arms, resting Wildbreak's tiny helm in the crook of his arm.  His optics shifted between his sparkling's sweet face and the moonlit spot on the horizon where the Autobots agreed to meet him.

Their little Wildbreak...  Despite his name, their boy would never be like his parents. 

Knock Out knew moments after his birth that their little one would never been the fearsome warrior that their Lord Megatron demanded of his followers.

His internal chronometer told him that they would soon be here.  Just a few kliks more and Wildbreak would be-!

"So..." Megatron's deep, growling tenor cut through his reverie. "This is where you've been hiding..."

Knock Out's energon ran cold as if his fuel pump flowed ice through his chassis.  Slowly, he turned on his pedes to find Megatron's massive form looming over them.  The medic held the sparkling close as he tried to backed away but his Master matched every step and soon Knock Out felt his back struts meet the stone mesa wall.  He swallowed thickly, knowing there was nowhere he could run now.

"M-my Lord!  I wasn't-"

"-going to meet with the Autobots to have safeguard your newborn?" Megaton said, his tone holding faint humor. "You should know by now, that _nothing_ gets past Soundwave.  Your would-be rescuers are currently engaged with our troops."

Knock Out's energon ran cold at his Master's revelation.  As he thought to transform - to run - Megatron's massive servo clamped down around his shoulder.  The Decepticon winced as he dug a claw painfully into the tread of his tire.  Wildbreak squealed with joy, his newly forming denta bared as he smiled up that the fearsome con.  He reached up with his tiny servos.

His master returned the favor with a toothy grin of his own.

"Please, Knock Out," Megatron said, releasing him from his grip as he extended his arms. "Allow me to hold him, won't you?"  Reluctantly, Knock Out leaned forward and Megatron gingerly took the sparkling into his grasp.  Wildbreak let out another happy squeal as the Decepticon Leader's clawed digit gently rubbed against his cheek.  The sparkling reached out and caught it in his grasp it with tiny servos.  His child let out a happy gurgle as he pulled the appendage into his mouth. 

Megatron laughed.  Knock Out felt a wave of nausea wash over him.  He clasped his own servos together.

"M-Master, please forgive-"

"And what of the little one's sire?" Megatron asked, ignoring his plea.

"...He's..." A pause.  A sharp, painful intake of breath.  Knock Out squeezed his optics closed for a moment before the word spilled from his lips.  "... _gone_..."

"Ah...I always suspected you and Breakdown were very _close_."  That last word dripped from his Master's glossa like insecticon venom.  Knock Out suppressed a shiver under Megatron's piercing glare.  "He was more than just your assistant...obviously."

The medic lowered his gaze.

"My c-conjunx eterna."

"Any fraternization without my consent is _disloyalty_ , good doctor.  For a Decepticon, _nothing_ comes before our cause."

"B-but w-we...we were bonded before either of us had joined you, my liege..."

"Still, an important detail you neglected to share.  Once again, _nothing_ happens on my ship without Soundwave knowing."

"Please, spare Wildbreak."

Megatron chuckled.

"Relax, doctor.  We shall keep your young one safe," he purred. "I believe this - Wildbreak was its designation, was it? - will be an invaluable member to our cause."

"He's just a sparkling-!" Knock Out protested, his optics wide.

"Then, his well-being will keep you from sneaking off," the Decepticon Leader continued, ignoring his protest.  "And it will also serve as a reminder of where your loyalties should now lie."

Megatron leaned in so close that Knock Out could feel the heat radiating from his vents.  His master pressed Wildbreak softly against his chest.  The Decepticon quickly took his son back into his own arms.  

"Soundwave, prepare a groundbridge!" Megatron barked into his comms.  Within seconds, a great, swirling portal of green light burst before them.

"After you..." he offered mockingly, his servo firmly wrapped around his shoulder tire once more.

Knock Out blinked back the lubricant threatening to spill from his optics. 

He held tightly onto Wildbreak, though his sparkling began to wiggling in protest. 

Putting one pede in front of the other, Knock Out entered the emerald portal with his Liege following closely at their side. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Several vorns pass and Wildbreak has grown up into a (cowardly) fine, young bot. He lives a relatively quiet life on the Nemesis, but wonders why their medic is so cold to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am like writing this for me. And also, I am writing this on my phone when I am riding the bus. So... bare with me. Lol!

The young deception loaded the final cube onto the floating lift.  He quickly counted them, jotting down their size and weight on his datapad before handing it over to his supervisor for signature.

"Deliver this to the lab," the vehicon ordered, passing the pad back.  Wildbreak took it and rested it on the cart.  He gave a small bow and left, pushing his burden through the sliding doors and into the corridor.

He shuffled along, his peds echoing in the eerie quiet, as he made his way to the medical bay.  Wildbreak shivered.  The Nemesis - a maze of dark corridors with the possibility of the terrifying Soundwave lurking about - was cold, imposing.  He never felt quite safe in what he called home.  But he was lucky.  Wildbreak's berthmates and fellow miners were kind to him - as kind as Decepticons could be.  And though he was youngest, they raised him as if he was their own.

As WIldbreak rounded the corner, he found himself by the laboratory door.  He touched the ID pad and they opened with a great swoosh. He maneuvered his lift inside where he saw Knock Out - the medic - and Shockwave - the chief Decepticon scientist - at their respective stations, conducting tests.

Shockwave was...odd.  Naturally, like many things, Wildbreak found him frightening.  Known as the "mad scientist," Shockwave may have had a knack for unethical and dangerous experimentation (sometimes on his fellow Decepticons...), but he never bothered or bothered with Wildbreak.  So, that was "fine."

And then, there was Knock Out...

"D-Doctors," Wildbreak stammered, hoping they would notice him.  "I h-have a delivery you requested..."

Shockwave gave him a polite nod.

Knock Out said nothing. 

With his back to the young bot, the medic simply pointed a digit in some vague, far-off direction.  Wildbreak shrank a bit, twisting his fingers before pushing the lift off to the far corner.  He carefully unloaded each cube, stacking them as quick and as neatly as possible.

"Your timing is exceptional," he heard Shockwave say.  Wildbreak turned on his pedes to find the more senior scientist standing over him.  The younger bot gave him a small bow, scurrying out of the way as Shockwave reached past him and plucked up an energon cube.  The bot held it up to his red eye, turning it about in his digits.  "You are quite efficient, little one."

"T-thank you..." Wildbreak stuttered as he held up his pad for him to sign but the scientist gave him a slight nudge in the direction of his lab partner.  The younger bot trundled off toward the other medic's station.

Wildbreak felt coolant trickling down the back of his neck as he reached Knock Out's side.  The vehicon did not stop in his work, his vermilion gaze fixed on the liquid in his beaker.

"I...I need you to s-sign, s-s-sir..."

Knock Out sighed.   He set his beakers aside and took the datapad from the younger bot's servos.  He pressed his digit against the signature box, the pad beeped, and he tossed it back.  Wildbreak let out a yelp as he scrambled to catch it.

"T-thank you, si-."

"Shockwave, please inform this one that we have much work to do," the medic ordered, his tone clipped. 

Wildbreak's shoulders slumped.

"One nano-klik, young one," Shockwave interjected.  "Stay.  Speak with me."

He blinked his optics owlishly.

"About w-what, sir?"

Shockwave touched a servo to where his chin ridge would be had he had one.

"Possible topics of idle discussion," the scientist began slowly.  "...could include how you found yourself in this line of work."

"Oh! Uh..." Wildbreak fumbled, pressing the tips of his digits together. "Um, well, Lord M-Megatron assigned me to energon t-transportation this cycle."

"Further explanation required."

"Um, w-well," the young bot stammered, scratching at his helm.  "I am not a very good warrior.  I c-caused our fellow Decepticons great shame when I...ran away d-during my first combat training..."

Knock Out still kept his back turned, swirling the mysterious liquid in the beaker in his servos.  For a moment, Wildbreak swore he caught the medic smiling at him in the reflection of the overhead cabinet door.

"Yes, you displayed great cowardice," Shockwave replied brusquely.  "However, if you had not, we would not have been aware of your superior speed and agility, for which Lord Megatron has given you much praise."

Wildbreak tilted his helm.  He had never thought of his well-known, public embarrassment in _that_ way.

"I think this as been enough idle chatter for today," Knock Out seethed as he turned to glare at his lab partner.  "We all have work to do, Shockwave."

Wildbreak jumped. 

"O-of course!  S-sorry!"  The young bot rushed back to his lift.  He paused by the door and caught Shockwave's eye.  "Er, and thank you, sir."

The scientist gave him a nod.  Wildbreak smiled and pushed his lift through doors and was gone.

 

~~~

 

When he could not hear the young bot's footsteps, Knock Out slammed his servos against the surface of his station.  His equipment rattled violently - a few vials threatening to fall from the table's edge.

"What in the name of Unicron do you think you were doing?!" the medic hissed. "Direct contact between Wildbreak and I-"

"-is forbidden.  Logically, this is why I invited him to speak with only myself."

Knock Out dragged his claws into fists, leaving deep grooves across his work table.

"Besides, I did not initiate conversation for only your benefit," Shockwave continued, ignoring his partner's outburst.

"What?!"

"He is your progeny.  So, logically, you want to know his progress.  And now that you have been informed on his activities and general well-being, there has been 10% spike in your energy efficiency.  Hopefully, this allow us to perform our duties with greater speed."

"How kind of you..." Knock Out growled between clenched denta.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Knock Out finally gets his wish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Fanfiction is fun! In this universe, some transformers are hatched. And they grow like a hermit crab/butterfly somehow (I can see it in my mind but...). ANYWAY, it takes a while for this process to finish before they full mature.

It was dark.  Wildbreak adjusted his optics.  His audio sensors overloaded by the violent clattering of the old ship.  He thought it would come apart mid-flight, sending his kidnapper and himself tumbling into the waters below.  The young bot clasped his servos together, bringing them to his lip plates.  He prayed - to Alpha Trion, to his supervisor, to Megatron - for anyone to rescue him. 

He had been preparing freshly mined energon to be transported to the Nemesis when a groundbridge opened.  The Autobots burst from the portal, making quick slaughter of their guards and causing his fellow miners to scatter.  Wildbreak did what he did best - he ran.  Or at least he attempted do so.  The panicked cries of his friends caused him to reverse course.  The young mech was no fighter but that did not mean he could lead some of the others to safety.  He arrived just in time to push one of his chambermates from harm's way.

"G-go!  Take the southbound tunnel!" he shouted.  The miner nodded, transformed and zoomed off with the others.  Wildbreak made a mad dash at the nearest Autobot - a horrrible, battleworn mech with audio receptors the size of a satellite dish - and began to whoop and holler.

"Rustbucket! O-over here!" The mech turned his attentions towards him, firing a few blasts at his pedes. Wildbreak leapt forward, tumbling gracefully into his alternative mode. He raced forward, catching the Autobot in the stomach and sent them bother hurling back through the groundbridge for which he emerged.

After that, something hard hit his helm and Wildbreak offlined.  He thought he surely had died until his systems rebooted and found himself - pedes shackled - in a small cell.

"Hey, baby bot," someone called to him, ripping him from his thoughts.  Wildbreak flinched at the sudden flood of light, shielding his optics.  He could see his captor approaching through his digits.  He let out a squeal as he scrambled backwards into his cell, whimpering when his back struts lay flat against the wall.  Wildbreak finally got a glimpse of his captor.  It was the old mech from the mine - big old audio receptors.  Several scars ran across his lips and face plates. His paint - peeling, singed - was an odd combination  of silver, white, and green. And there was no mistaking the giant red Autobot emblem on his chestplate.

He had heard all sorts of horror stories from his mining family: How the Autobots snatched Decepticon hatchlings from their berths, only to never be seen or heard from again.  And now it happened to him.  He would never see his berthmates ever again; his supervisor would never slip him energon snippings as a late night snack; he would never play lob-ball with GHT-584 or EFW-024 again...

"P-please, don't hurt m-me!  I-I d-don't know anything...!" he begged.  He shuttered his optics as the larger bot entered.  He heard his pedes steps and then there was a soft thud. He opened his optics slowly and found an energon cube resting at his left servo.

"You're still growing into your frame, kid," the bot chided.  "Gotta eat up."

His energy processor let out a loud growl before he could protest.  Wildbreak blushed violently. Gingerly, he picked it up and brought it up to his lip plates.  His glossa darted out, giving it an experimental lick.

"Is it p-poison?"

The older mech snickered.

"Nah," came his monosyllabic reply. 

Though his captor's response did nothing to ease his concerns, the young mech gave into his hunger and gnawed on the cube's corner. 

Several fat drops of lubricant rolled down his face plate.  Wildbreak's breath hitched.

"S-scrap...!" he heard his kidnapper mutter.  "Kid, seriously, I ain't gonna hurt you... I just want you to meet some friends of mine first and we'll get you home."

Wildbreak nodded.  He held onto his cube as tightly as he could and hope to Primus he would see his family again.

~~~

Knock Out struggled to lift his head.  His face plate cracked just underneath his right optic.  It flickered wildly, trying to remain offline after the last round of blows Megatron had dealt him.  He managed to stay up on his servos and knee joints like a cyberdog.

"Where is _he_!?" his Master bellowed. 

"I...I d-don't know..." he stammered, unable to lift his helm.

"You should confess," Megatron hissed into his ringing audio receptors.  "Or I pull you apart - piece-by-piece - and leave your remains scattered across this spark-forsaken planet!"

"...nothing...to...confe..."

"What was that, Knock Out!?"

"I said there is nothing to confess!" he cried. "I had nothing to do with thi-!"  Megatron's servo seized him by the throat cables, hauling the medic clear off his pedes. He prayed to the All-Spark that his end would be quick - that the bot would snap his spinal connector and be done.

But then, there was the soft sound of pedesteps and irritating series of clicks.  Knock Out opened his optics and saw Soundwave.  Megatron watched the intelligence commander's facial screen as he displayed what looked like security footage from the mines.  

"It appears you are telling the truth for once in your miserable existence," he heard Megatron growl. He released him, letting Knock Out crash onto the floor in a heap.  "But, I have never been a bot to believe in coincidence..."

A pair of vehicon rushed to his side to help him stand. 

"Take him to Shockwave and have him perform _another_ cortical patch just to be sure..." he commanded.  "And Knock Out, if we find _something_ , if you try to run, if you try to contact anyone...I will extinguish Wildbreak's spark, personally."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Autobots have long memories.

Knock Out winced as Shockwave soldered shut the crack beneath his optic shut.

"It should suffice for now," said the bot. He leaned back and held up a mirror for him to see.  "It will scar.  However-"

Knock Out reached out, covering the offending reflection with his clawed servo.

"Thank you but... We need to find Wildbreak."

The cyclops cocked his head to one side.  His vermillion gaze left Knock Out unnerved.

"What?!" the medic snapped.

"You used to be quite vain and an obnoxious thrillseeker," Shockwave said.  "Correction, you are still incredibly vain."   

Knock Out clicked his denta together in annoyance.

"My child is missing, possibly dead, and you decide to insult me?!" he seethed. 

"Only to point out the logical truth that you will be ineffective - as a physician and my lab assistant - until your know Wildbreak is safe," explained Shockwave.

"So, you think I should just sit here while my son is missing...?!" Knock Out protested.

"No.  But if you act, Megatron will surely kill you and your offspring," countered the cyclops. He tapped a digit against his elbow joint. "Our master's actions are illogical at times. Our numbers dwindle every solar cycle.  It would be preferable simply to punish you both..."

"As if there has not been punishment enough..." the medic mumbled.

Knock Out pulled himself away from the berth.  He shooed Shockwave's outstretched servos as he wobbled wildly on his pedes.  He limped away, like a wounded cyberdog, and through the doors.

A life without his son... a life knowing Wildbreak would always have Megatron's target on his back struts...

Knock Out would rather be offlined.

  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

 

Ratchet rested his servos on his hip joints and rolled his optics over the incessant fawning everyone was doing over their uninvited "guest."  Wheeljack brought home a small mountain of unrefined energon and a rather small, tearful-looking youngling.

He sighed - relieved that his teammate's battle lust could be tempered and angered that such a young bot had been forced to do such dangerous work.  The poor thing could not have been older than twelve vorns and still clearly growing into his frame.  Ratchet furrowed his brows as he turned back to his logs.  Primus above and Unicron below - what would Megatron have need of such a young bot?

"And how is our guest, old friend?" Optimus asked as he reached his side.

"Hungry," Ratchet replied softly, his digits flying over the holo keyboard.  "He's gone through three cubes in so many solar cycles."

Optimus said nothing, but Ratchet swore he saw the tiniest dip in the corner of his lip plates.

"Apparently, he works in the Decepticon energon mines, transporting from the site and distributing cubes throughout the Nemesis," Ratchet found himself explaining.  "He says none of the miners know any coordinates for any of their digs.  They just simply...work."  The idea made the words go sour on his glossa.  He gave the keyboard a fierce jab.

Optimus said nothing.  He gentle touched Ratchet's shoulder before striding over to the crowd.  At the sounds of his approach, both humans and bots alike parted to let him through.

"Little one," Optimus said, his tone gentle as he knelt down.  "I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots.  I hope you are well..."

"I...I'm...um...," the young bot pressed the tips of his digits together as his optics fixed on his pedes. "Um...I-I told everyone that I don't know anything. May I go home now?"

"Of course," Optimus replied, a small smile gracing his face plate. "We would make no-bot stay against their will but if you would like to remain with us, that can be arranged as well."

The youngling shook his helm.

"Then, may we have your designation for when we contact your faction..."

"M-miner UKI-354..." the little bot answered, his voice barely registering in their audio receptors.  "But everyone c-calls m-me Wildbreak..."

Ratchet's spark nearly extinguished itself.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Father and son make a decision.

The others escorted young Wildbreak to the berthroom to power down for the night.  But Ratchet decided to stay behind and insisted Optimus stay as well.  
  
"What is it, old friend?"  
  
The old medic made sure the room was clear before nudging his Leader toward his workstation.  
  
"I knew I remembered that name!" Ratchet half whispered.  A few stroke of the keys and he pulled up an archived communications log.  Optimus bent down to get a better look.  It was rather. A distress signal and request from-  
  
"Knock Out..."  
  
Ratchet nodded his helm.  
  
"Yes!" He all but shouted.  "Knock Out and his conjunx eterna joined the Nemesis faction around the time we had arrived on Earth."  
  
"They had completed the construction of their ovum chamber and gave it each a piece of their spark-"  
  
"-and Breakdown was killed soon after that.  Yes, I remember now..." Optimus muttered, his optics shuttering for a moment.  He sighed and focused on Ratchet again.  "Knock Out risked his own spark to reach out to us.  He knew the Autobots were on better terms with the neutral Cybertronian colonies and hoped we could find a safe haven for Wildbreak."  
  
"We cannot return Wildbreak to the Decepticons," Ratchet protested.  "Knock Out may be our enemy, but as a sire he still wants what is best for his young.  For Wildbreak's sake, we will send him to a new home on a neutral colony..."  
  
"...but I am not going alone..!"  
  
The bots turned on their pedes and found Wildbreak standing behind them.  
  
"Unicron below..." Ratchet growled between his denta.  
  
Wildbreak stood there with an energon cube in hand and a berthsheet draped over his shoulders.  
  
"What are you doing out of bed, youngling..."  Ratchet asked, grimacing slightly.  It came out more like an accusation and less of a question.  They both knew given the lubricant pooling in the corners of the young bot's optics.  
  
"If Knock Out is my sire..." Wildbreak managed between hiccups. "...t-then he will c-come too!"  
                       

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

  
  
Shockwave was right.  There was nothing in his spark that gave him joy.  Breakdown had died.  Their only sparkling was in the hands of the Autobots.  He never left the Nemesis - unable to feel Earth's land passing beneath his tire treads.  And even his finish lacked its usual, envious luster.  Megatron deprived him of his freedom and his own son, both of which, he happily sacrificed for Wilbreak's well-being.  But not...  
  
Joining the All-Spark would be preferable to this.  But Knock Out needed to know, if Wildbreak still lived.  He found a comms station and by Primus it was empty.  It was a very, very long shot.  And surely, he would be caught the moment he did it but Knock Out entered in the frequency he used all those vorns ago.  The commlink pinged rhythmically, matching the fretful thumping of his fuel pump, for several nanokliks.  Then, a faint hissing of static as it connected.  Knock Out's spark flickered wildly in its chamber.

"Who is this?" A voice came over the connection.  It was young, curious.  
  
"This Knock Out aboard the Nemesis..." the medic spoke into the audio port. "I am risking my very spark by contacting you... Please, is the Decepticon called Wildbreak with you?  He is safe?"  
  
"The little bot?  He is just fine.  Again, who is-"  
  
The connection ended.  Knock Out gasped as something wrapped itself around his throat cables.  He lurched backwards and his back struts flew hard into the wall.  Systems warning flashed all across his optics; his helm felt like it was spinning.  
  
The sounds of pedes steps rung in his audio receptors and somebot strode past him and shut the comm off.  A pair of long, black cords wrapped themselves around Knock Out's arms and lifted him into the air.  He struggled to lift his helm and was met with his own reflection in an all too familiar visor.  
  
"KNOCK OUT," Soundwave chided, his tone cold and robotic.  "YOU WERE WARNED."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Megatron makes a plan. Bulkhead talks about Breakdown.

Megatron watched, his face plates unmoving, as Soundwave replayed the surveillance from the sub-communications room. 

_...called Wildbreak?  Is he safe..._

The Decepticon despot furrowed his optic brows as his lips curled over his bared dentae. 

"Did he say anything else, Soundwave?" Megatron asked, his servos slowly forming into fists. "Was the signal traced?"

The intelligence officer shook his head and he ex-vented deeply, briefly shuttering his optics before focusing his burning gaze on their captive.  Knock Out lay crumpled at his pedes, struggling to lift his helm and meet his Master's glare.

"So, you disobeyed me..." Megatron announced, pulling himself up to his full height.  "Do you despise living, Knock Out?"

The medic groaned painfully he lifted himself up from where he lay and onto his servos.  He managed to prop himself up enough to sit awkwardly on his hip joint.

"I had... I had to be sure..." he heard the bot whimper.  "I n-needed to know, my liege..."

"...that I would have sufficient motive to kill you both?" he hissed, his tone devoid of amusement.  Knock Out trembled.

"I have devoted vorns of my life to you!  I have done everything to correct my mistakes-"

"...but you keep making them," he said firmly, kneeling down onto his knee joint as he reached out and caught the Decepticon's chin ridge between his clawed digits.  "Mistakes I can forgive, but a Decepticon who _cannot and will not_ follow my orders..."

"I have b-been disobedient," Knock Out grounded out between his tightly clenched dentae.  His subordinate's servo wrapped around his own.  Megatron suppressed a flinch as Knock Out's clawed digits dug into his knuckle joints.  It would take very little to remove the medic's head from his neck stabilizers.  "Yet, my Master has forgiven Starscream for his many transgressions...even ones that r-resulted in a blade buried in your back struts..!"

His words caused his fuel pump to skip a beat.  Megatron growled to himself as an unwanted image of his second-in-command flitted through his memory banks.  He was glad the seeker had been off-ship, diligently searching for energon deposits.  He growled softly, tightening his grip on Knock Out's chin ridge.

"You are testing the limits of my mercy _and_ my patience," he snarled.  "Twice now you have put your fellow Decepticons and your Master in harm's way by contacting the enemy when you prioritized your feelings for you bond mate and your sparkling over our cause!"  He released the medic, raking a single digit along the side of the Decepticon's face plate with enough force to leave a deep scratch and elicit a painful gasp. 

Knock Out's helm hung low.  Megatron emitted a low growl, turning his own helm away sharply at the sight of a few drops of lubricant falling to the floor with a splat.

"Return to your lab," he commanded.  "Now that you know your 'hatchling' is safe, I am sure you'll be able to work without _further_ distractions."

Without waiting for a response, Megatron waved a servo at his guards.  The trundled over to him and collected the medic from the bridge floor. 

The bots bowed before hefting Knock Out's arms over their shoulders and lead him away.  When the door closed behind them, the Decepticon leader turned to Soundwave.

"Soundwave," he ordered, crossing his servos behind his backstruts. "I may need you to contact Pharma.  We may need a replacement soon..."

The silent con nodded before striding to his station.

"Oh.  And if you catch Knock Out reaching out to anyone," Megatron added, turning his gaze toward the bridge's navigation screen.  "...the crew has my permission to remove his spark from his chamber _immediately_."

~~~

Bulkhead pressed a warmed canister energon into his young servos.  Wildbreak thanked him, taking several sips as the Autobots gathered in what looked like their recreation room.  He noted several lobbing balls in the corner.  A pile of data pads littered the lone table in the middle of the room...

The constructicon had collected him after Ratchet and Optimus finished speaking to him.  His neural network buzzed loudly in his cranial covering - thoughts of the family Wildbreak never knew whirling in his helm.

Knock Out was his sire.  But he was always so cold, distant, dismissive.  Wildbreak drank deeply, ignoring heat of the energon pouring over his glossa.

"Optimus said you had trouble sleeping?" Bulkhead's gruff but gentle voice broke through his thoughts.

"B-Bulkhead, do you know anything about my parents?" he asked.  Wildbreak felt like his spark might burst from its chamber.

"Well... I know more about your other sire - Breakdown," the older bot replied.  Bulkhead grunted as he lowered himself onto the floor, his large servos folded on his lap. "We weren't friends."

"Because of the war?"

"Even before that," Bulkhead explained.  "Breakdown was a constructicon like me back on Cybertron.  He hated every minute of it - always getting into fights and arguing with our superiors.  And then one day, a fancy medic from Velocitron rolled across his path.  Breakdown quit and ran off with him that same solar cycle!"

Wildbreak said nothing, his optics wide as he listened to Bulkhead's story.

"I didn't see either of them again until my Wrecker days," the  bot continued.  "I only saw Breakdown on the battlefields.  Knock Out and him snuffed out their fair share of sparks, kid.  Many of them belonged to my good friends too.  And they continued to do just that until..."

"Until what?" Wildbreak heard himself asking.  His processing unit felt like it was filled with ice and rust, waiting for an answer he feared he already knew.

"Breakdown died like a warrior," Bulkhead said firmly.  "He fought to the very end..."

"Did you... Bulkhead did you..."

"You...want revenge?" the older bot's voice had gone soft. 

Wildbreak bit his lip, his digits tightening around the now empty energon container. There had been so much loss for both sides.  Their homeworld had been lost and their people scattered among the stars.  He glanced up at Bulkhead, who stared back down at him.  The older bot's gaze was kind.  Tightness in his chamber subsided.

"No," Wildbreak said, breaking the tense silence.  "Decepticon, Autobot... I just want to be free."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miners GHT-584 and EFW-024 get to work. Shockwave does something logical...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, Happy Belated Birthday, VStrider!

GHT-584 jabbed his pick into the rock wall, striking a particularly stubborn rock.  It broke on the seventh swing, revealing a sizeable energon nugget.  GHT yanked from the cave wall with the tips of his clawed servos and tossed it into the bin at his pedes.

"My back structs feels like a scraplet took a bite out of it," he heard EFW-024 muttering beside him.  GHT chuckled.  It had only been a few solar cycles, but the mining unit nearly had picked this site clean.  Starscream rode them hard as he always did - anything to keep their Lord on the bot's good side.

GHT raised his pick to attack the rock once more when his berthmate clapped a servo onto his shoulder.  Carefully, lowered his pick and rested it against his leg, turning to his friend with a curious express.

"We have more than enough," EFW commented.  "All cubes are full.  Please finish loading."

He nodded as the other bot trundled off to inform their dour-looking superior.  As EFW engaged the vehicon,  GHT and his berthmates moved quickly, piling the rest of the energon blocks on the hovercart until towered a few cubes over their own heads.  They threw a tarp across the top and the others scrambled to secure the ties.

"Everything secure?" he heard EFW ask as he knelt to fasten the final tie.  "We need to go soon..."

GHT nodded.

Without warning, the sounds of laserfire could be heard deep within the mine.  Starscream stumbled in, shrieking a laser grazed the side of his helm.

"Not a single cube left behind!" the seeker screamed as a groundbridge portal opened up in the middle of the chamber.  GHT and and the other mines pushed their burden through it, ignoring the panicked cries of the guards and Starscream's profanities as they fell.

The cave walls disappeared and the miners soon found themselves in the energon storage room.  They maneuvered their burden to the very back, while EFW signed off on the storage room supervisor's datapad.

Gingerly, GHT laid a servo against his burden - the canvas tarp course beneath the tips of his digits.

"Be safe, Breaky," he whispered against the cubes.  "Good luck."

_~~~_

He attempted to ignore his pain. 

Knock Out groaned softly as he reached for the syringe.  His shoulder joint creaked painfully, eliciting grimace across his face plates.  The syringe fells from his servos onto the floor.  Knock Out grumbled to himself, as stooping low as his knee joints would let him stoop, his servos reaching out to grab it when something grabbed his wrist joint.  His startled cried silenced by something pressing against his mouth. 

Optics wide, Knock Out saw his assailant: it was the Autobot known as Smokescreen.  He struggled for a moment, wrenching himself from the bot's hold.

"Calm down," Smokescreen said gently.  His tone sent shivers down the Decepticon's back struts.

"H-how did you get in here?" Knock Out growled.  He turned to reached for the alarm and found himself staring down the barrel of a laser. 

"Believe it or not, we're not here to fight, doc..." He immediately recognized the smug drawl belonging to the Autobot Arcee.  Knock Out clenched his dentae together and slowly lowered his arms to his side.

"And what are you here to do, then?"

"To rescue you..."

Knock Out felt as if his spark would extinguish that very moment.  Wildbreak stepped from behind Smokescreen, a look of determination in his young optics. Without thinking, Knock Out knelt and pulled him into his arms.  He felt a knot forming in his throat coupling as the young bot returned his embrace.

"W-what are you doing?" Knock Out scolded, moving to cup Wildbreak's helm between his servos.  "M-Megatron will kill us both if he finds you here, you little fool...!"

"Then, we need to move fast," Wildbreak replied, Knock Out catching the slight warble in his voice. "Smokescreen will phase us to where we need to go.  Wheeljack's ship is cloaked and sitting up top on the observation-"

The sound of heavy pedesteps echoed in sudden, fearful silence.  Shockwave appeared as the doors parted, his canon raised.

Arcee and Smokescreen raised their own blasters.  Knock Out pushed Wildbreak behind him.

"They are leaving," he said.

"And you, logically, must leave with them too..." the cyclops replied. "For you must know that you are in violation of our Master's direct orders and that we have been ordered to kill you and these bots on sight."

Beofre anyboy could say anything, Shockwave stepped aside, waving his canon toward the corridor.

"Go," he ordered.  "You never had clearance to my work nor did I ever believe you possessed the intellect to understand it.  Furthermore, I have been informed that you are being replaced.  I will give you sixty nano-kliks and then, I will summon the guards."

They wasted no time.  The Autobots dashed into the hall to make sure it was clear. Wildbreak helped Knock Out, his frame still racked with pain.  Shockwave did not react when he reached out and gently rested his servos against the bot's arm. 

"What was that about?!" Arcee asked over her shoulder as they began to run once they joined them.  More pedesteps sounded off at the opposite end of the hall as several Decepticon soldiers charged at them.

"It's his way of saying 'thank you!,'" Knock Out explained.

"For what?!" the others cried unison as they phased through a wall, dodging laserfire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shockwave isn't being nice. He just wanted Knock Out to leave and to never bother him again.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moonracer of Velocitron sits with Optimus Prime over some Energon tea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops! I uploaded the wrong version... Sorry!

Moonracer accepted her tea from Optimus' outstretched servos and raised it high towards her gracious hosts before sipping deeply from the saucer.

Earthen Energon held a such light, smoky taste - nothing else like it on Cybertron or their colonies.  She wrinkled her nose ridge slightly as she savored it unique flavor.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Optimus said, his deep tenor caused her joints to rumble.

"My pleasure," she returned.  "We neutral colonies are in the business of fellow Cybertronians in need."

"The very reason I have requested your presence today..."

Moonracer sat her saucer down with a firm, audible click.

"I can make the case for Wildbreak's asylum," she began slowly, her digits steepling together in her lap. "A grounder with great racing potential - kidnapped as a child, forced to work in Decepticon mines?  He would be more than welcome to any colony - especially Velocitron."

"And Knock Out...?"

She vented deeply, a sudden heat building up around her own spark.

"He is a war criminal, sir," she said.  "Knock Out is directly responsible for medical research that fueled the Decepticon's biomechanical weaponry."

The Prime's broad shoulders slumped.  Moonracer watched him.

"Ambassador, I do not deny that his hands are stained with the blood of our brethren," Optimus replied.  "And yet, he still possesses the capacity for change as all sentient beings do."

"Change?" she asked, her tone incredulous. "Who cares when his own people seek his death as retribution?"

"If we as a people learn anything from this eternal war, it is that any destruction results in nothing," he countered.  "Knock Out should be punished but not with the extinguishing of his spark.  His servos - which dismantled his own can be used to rebuild them again..."

Moonracer said nothing.  She reached for her saucer, her digits wrapping themselves around the gilded handle.

"By Primus," she muttered, a small smile pulling at the edges of her lip ridges before taking a sip.  "You could sell the Sea of Rust to a Piranacon..."

Optimus smiled - or at least she thought he did.  Primes and emotions did not compute.

~~~

The shuttle ported teamed with the bodies of his fellow Cybertronians.  Wildbreak scrambled underneath the legs of a towering constructicon - his rucksack bouncing against his backstruts as he dashed towards the tram station turnstiles.  It was the first holiday he had in while since joining the Stunticon Recovery Team.  Dragstrip and Motormaster did not seem too pleased to see Wildbreak go - but the young bot could not care less and boarded the first morning's flight from Kaon.  He let them fuss at him all the way to the aeroport and right up to the security check point before he waved goodbye and rushed off to his boarding gate.

Wildbreak continued to sprint along, flashing his holobadge at the guards, who waved him through doors.  He bounded up the stairs and slipped between the doors of the last shuttle.  He pulled his bag to his heaving chest plates, sighing in relief at the tram began to roll away, leaving the aeroport behind.

After several breems, the lunar flatlands faded away into a slowly forming urban sprawl.  Cybertron was not the only thing to return to life.  The outer colonies, the colonies on Luna-1 were teaming with light and life and laughter.  Wildbreak watched as New Kalis - a former refugee tent-city stuffed into a crater of a Cybertronian moon - came into view.  It had transformed over the vorns into an urban monument of high-rises and towers dotted that its skyline and commerce centers that populated its once scrap-filled streets. 

The tram finally reached its stop and Wildbreak pushed his way through the crowd, down the stairs, and out onto the street in mere kliks.  The avenue was a blur beneath his pedes.  Wildbreak blurted out the occasional greeting as he passed bots he knew but his destination remained at the top of his buzzing processor.

As he rounded the corner, his optics landed on a small, free medi-clinic for refugees and the hard-on-their-luck - stuffed between two oil and energon bars.

"Dad!" he called, slowing as he approached.  There was a bot at the top of the stairs, clutching a cane and keying in the lock code for the door.  There was no denying that fade but well-kept red finish and the polished chrome.  Knock Out turned on his pedes at the sound of his name.  He waved and then cupped his servos around his mouth and shouted:

"I was going to meet you at the aeroport!"

He hobble down the stairs towards him, servo gripping the handle of his cane tightly.  Wildbreak reached out and helped him down as Knock Out's knee joints creaked with each step.

"Surprise!  Happy Allsparks Day!" Wildbreak chirped, throwing his arms around his father.  Knock Out returned the embrace, giving him a pat on the backstruts.

"Happy Allsparks Day," Knock Out replied softly.  He pulled away and pressed a small satchel against Wildbreak's chestplates.  He took it and opened it, finding several high-grade energon goodies and few shanix lining the bottom.

"Dad..." protested Wildbreak.  "I'm not a sparkling anymore..."  But he still plucked a goodie from the bag and slipped it between his smiling lip ridges.  His sire chuckled and gave him a pat on his helm.

"You can always save them for those Combiner friends of yours," his father teased.  "...if you hate your treats so much."

"Dragstrip can eat rust and these shanix are mine because, Primus knows, Velocitron doesn't pay us enough," he replied quickly, before eating another.  "Energon fountain before fireworks?"  He wrapped his free servo around his sire's.  Knock Out smiled, his digits holding onto him tightly.

"I'd like that..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy ending!

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I am pretty new to the TFP fandom. I am still learning robo-terminology and stuff.


End file.
